The SheOrc of Mordor Morgul tower
by Fire and Ice2
Summary: *Chpt9- *-Frodo becomes trapped in morgul tower in mordor and is recued by a sheorc- Kurina- who's female friend for miles is shelob,- plz r&r. Sorry, some frodo bashing and angst... and orcs
1. Blissful encounters

The She-orc.  
  
Chapter One: - Blissful encounters.  
  
"She dog"  
  
"Worm"  
  
"Take a look in the glass, Kurina"  
  
"I see an orc"  
  
"What like I don't?"  
  
That's how the day of Kurina normally starts, and did this morning. Luckily her brothers got called away by the "things-on-wings" (ring wraiths).  
  
Kurina gawped at the ceiling, the painfully low, earthy red and bland ceiling of her room, or prison- which ever worked to her mood that day. Her green arms were crossed behind her head and she lay awake in the dark. Her only comfort was a pure white silken cover, which draped over her thin body. Her brother Torak had taken it from an Elf he claimed that he slayed a week or so ago, it was beautiful, even in the dismal light spilling from her window in the tower of sorcery, it shimmered and shone.  
  
Being just a little over seventeen and her only other female contact being with a giant spider, who smelt like the rest of the orcs in the damned tower, Kurina was still thinking up ways of empowering herself. She was mentally running through some that very morning,  
  
"Become Sauron's secret lover slave- ewww no would have to touch him.  
  
"Pass self off as elf"  
  
"IN YEHR DREAMS!!!" came a hoarse yell from outside.  
  
"THANK YOU BUT I DON'T DREAM OF SUCH DISGUSTING THINGS" she lied painfully.  
  
She swung her legs around her low bed and glanced at herself in the looking glass. Thin, extremely thin, she was the runt of the tower as far as anyone else with testicles were concerned and so seemed to require minimal food. She turned away disgusted at her weak and meek appearance, orcs were strong warriors not little girls. She dragged a toothy (there in lies the irony) comb through her long, thick hair (which resembled wire). Making her bed she decided to visit Shelob, the over sized spider.  
  
In a rough trouser and top outfit which grazed as she moved, Kurina managed to run to the lower passages, unfortunately she bumped- head first- into something.  
  
The nine footer all in black looked at her, well aimed it's empty eye sockets at her, "Wh---err---rrree are yoooooou goooo.ing" it hissed swaying its head like a dear caught in a trap. All the blood in her body boiled before running icy cold. She hated the way the things-on-wings could do that,  
  
"Iiiiiii. Doooooon't think thhhhhaa----tssss any of your businessssss" she giggled, the wraith pawed for her neck and took her about three feet off the floor. "Wiser ones do not mock us", it snarled into her pointed ear. She struggled out.  
  
"I'm going to see the spider" The thing made a grimacing gesture and pointed her at the passage.  
  
Kurina had decided something she had decided before, Shelob was so getting air freshener for her birthday. She stepped over dead limbs and tiptoed past other foul things, she could hear the spider clicking at her, "I know, I'm late. Can we go out now?" 


	2. Having a slime of a time

Chapter Two: - Having a Slime of a Time.  
  
Kurina watched, squinting in the darkness, luckily Orcs have brilliant night vision, they may not be able to see in the dark completely but they got by.  
  
Shelob beckoned Kurina to her with a long hairy leg, Kurina edged nervously forward. Shelob got up on her legs and began smelling her before she sprang back, "I know I smell of Elves, OK. It's. it's from a prisoner" snapped Kurina shortly, pushing her hair over her shoulders. Her hair was a nutty brown that contrasted with her greenish bluish skin on her limbs which were ridged now at her sides, itching to grab the dagger tucked in her trousers and claim some glory off the men for a change, all of a sudden a screech ran out through the cave, Shelob back to a wall and covered her ears. were ever they were. or what ever she used to hear. she had her hands clamped on her head and that was clear enough. The sound was the Morgul horn, an intruder had been spotted, and Kurina wasted no time running to the front exit.  
  
The orangey glow of the outside hurt her eyes for a while as she desperately scanned the horizon. Troops were filing out to look and some of the wraiths where swooping in the air on the newest mode of transportation from Mordor.  
  
Tying her hair back and with great agility, Kurina drifted to a near by ledge and swung down, her brothers had something's scent that was for sure- finally glory, some shadow of glory was going to be hers!  
  
Jumping rock after rock she looked high and low for anyone else that was sneaking in- what she found she didn't like.  
  
A bony creature crawled past her head, but she could hear it easily and she whirled to face it hands first. It squirmed under her grip, its clammy little body wriggled under her tight grip. It beat the rocks and bit her suddenly forcing her to loose grip; it then retreated to the higher rocks.  
  
The commotion below seemed to have stopped also, the men were running around now, necks craning into every hollow, no stone unturned, soon they would be found. Caught up in the action of looking two, something grabbed her and pulled her neck first onto a large black creature, she got her bearings high in the air. The freezing chill running down her spin and the armoured hands clued her into what had taken her and was now driving her to the highest balcony on Morgul Tower. "You shhhhould have stttay withhh Sheeeelob, Kurina," the beastly thing growled before spitting her name. Kurina felt herself begin to swoon and her stomach was doing somersaults; this was because, for her safety she was not only infront and leaning on the wraith, it had an arm around her waist. "Well I know where I'm going now" she replied weakly grasping at all her energy. The wraith dipped about 100 metres in a nosedive to the vale and swooped back up again to the high level of the balcony on the tower, Kurina was swirling about in the saddle.  
  
Her brothers watched from below holding their own stomach as their sister was thrown around like seawater in a storm. "SHE'S OF NO USE TO YOU! DROP HER" yelled one.  
  
The wraith grabbed her neck again, pulling her off the saddle and holding her loosely in the air, some strength returned and she grappled at the armoured hand holding her. "Funny" she said with a struggle, "I didn't know you winged wraiths had a sense of humour". It flung her wildly on the saddle and dropped her on to the balcony content.  
  
Kurina slumped to the floor out of the arms of the orcs who tried to catch her. Her dark blue eyes were blinking up at the skies and her limbs shook in the hush as the wraith flew past again.  
  
It took seconds for her to regain her strength and punch off the orcs restraining her. She jumped to the balcony watching the chase of the two little beings she gulped as they entered Shelob's lair.  
  
"Great, now I shall never know who they were"  
  
The three guards joined her, laughing, "Ha, they don't know what they're in for"  
  
"They'll be fine," she growled as she swung herself off the large semi- circular balcony into the red passage way and down the stairs to the lower level, but as she reached the stairs she heard crying. Clenching her fists and grinding her teeth she put a foot on a step, it was still going. Angrily she swarmed to the cell it was coming from and battered the door open.  
  
A girl looked up at her from her bed with a hopeless sort of look that said "Get me out of here"  
  
She stopped immediately.  
  
Kurina's heart skipped a beat in joy- another girl. The girl stood up and stumbled back to her knees, which had her bent over the bed. "I'm ever so sorry" she apologised in a timid voice.  
  
"NO!" screamed Kurina turning away and shutting the door, and hurtling down the stairs. THE ONLY OTHER GIRL WHO WASN'T SHELOB FOR MILES WAS SOME WEAK LITTLE ELVEN GIRL!  
  
She heard another female voice yell to the sobs, "Be quiet!"  
  
Kurina jumped in the air, it was like torture day (the day when all prisoners are released into the tower in a game of brutal hide and seek) had come again!  
  
But she didn't have time to worry about that; she was going to have to save the prisoners from being Shelobs food so she could claim capture. She continued to run down the stairs. 


	3. Some unexpected

Quickie quick authors note.  
  
Thanks to Kyrillia for the fantastic review!  
  
Ok that's it. sorry to slow everything down, lets go.  
  
Chapter three: - Something unexpected.  
  
Kurina was still sailing on air as she coursed down the stairs to the lower sections of the tower- two other women! How fantastic! Yes one IS a typical girly elf that has no reason being in prison and should be riding horses, shooting arrows and wearing expensive garments- but this other girl seemed to be of use. Why didn't her brothers tell her, no wonder they had been acting weird all week.  
  
She reached the lower entrance just in time, sweeping her hair out of her face she saw her brothers huddled around something- but what in the world was it? It was tiny and limp, over the commotion though she could hear the faint breath sounds of some sort of tired out creature.  
  
"What is it?" she asked excitedly trying to peer over the broad shoulders of the capturing orcs. She flitted about with no joy of seeing anything. The were hurrying upstairs, with her desperately following, when her brother, who was bringing up the rear pulled her back,  
  
"This prisoner is of no concern of yours, Kurina" he lowered his eyes and focused them on her, "You are best to wait till the dust settles before you go enquiring or even daring to look at it" he said exercising his authority in a hard tone that didn't allow for questions. Kurina moved back from his faced and pursed her lips as he made off with the other great big sweaty orcs who were trailing up the main stairway.  
  
Kurina walked over to the main doors in feeling very out of sorts. She felt removed from her body in sort of an intense fainting feeling. She slumped down against the door. What had just come about in the last hour or so seemed to have turned her upside down. A bucking bronco act with a wraith, the discovery of two other girls- there! -And lastly the prisoner who was being kept under wraps- literally.  
  
She was still marvelling at her morning, she hadn't even had her breakfast yet. She jumped up feeling a great starvation from nowhere only to here something from behind the doors.  
  
"Aaaarrrgh!"  
  
Her ears raised up and moved back, which happened when orcs were on alert, and she raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Is-is-is someone there?" she stammered, the thing sounded quite fierce; pressing her ear against the doors she strained herself to the limit to try and hear something. All she could hear was fading footsteps.  
  
Considering the amount of things that lived in the desolate lands of Mordor there was a very short list to explain that sound- all on the list had some sort of fangs, great agility and strength, and a hunger for easy food, the most likely explanation was the noise came from a claw beast (native to the other side of the vale) who had just lost his lunch.  
  
In the breakfast hall, Kurina had regained her footing on the world. She was infact jumping over a table.  
  
"Grirlak give me that, I found it first!" she called after a training Orc hunter who had stabbed a piece of her breakfast. It was the only piece of meat she had seen for roughly three weeks.  
  
She leaped over the orderly tables in the large, dank and as usual brownish red in colour room. It had six large wooden table lined together horizontally with food spread around the outside. A podium at the front allowed leaders to deliver "inspirational" speeches.  
  
Kurina jumped again, Grirlak had sprung down from the last table and was sprinting around to the kitchens. Taking a short cut through a few plates she followed.  
  
Chef Bilriuth was non too impressed at them as the crash on his grim wooden floor. Craned over a large boiling cauldron of the usual cocktail of bark and anything else he turned an angry glance to them, heaped on top of each other. "What is this?" he hissed. The two jumped up. He was the only chef, slightly old and rough around the edges. His white and blue scales were turning red, either from the cooking fire or anger, and his white hair in a large V down his back and on his arms (still visible around his tunic bristled).  
  
Kurina wiped herself off and pulled a lock of hair out of her eyes, "'M really sorry, Bilriuth, won't happen again" Kurina muttered avoiding his livid stare.  
  
"Won't happen again" Grirlak whispered after her. An angry finger pointed them back to the hall, they were lucky to escape so easily; hell hath no fury like an "unappreciated" chef in Morgul.  
  
Kurina had been sent to her room to "think about what she had done". It was quite clear all who heard the chef's growls thought it was hilarious, but they had to do something to make it look as if they didn't think it was funny.  
  
Kurina was practicing with her only weapon, a knife, and all the different moves her brothers had taught her before she remembered the prisoners.  
  
She ran back to the room by the stairs where the elf girl was, she was now asleep, but as she watched the silver haired lady nestling to get comfy, she heard thundering steps, she jumped in and shut the door over leaving a tiny inch of it open.  
  
"Put him over there by that girl" ordered a voice, clearly orc.  
  
"By Firefly?" asked someone.  
  
Firefly?  
  
"Yes, no wait there is a claw beast next to her, try the next cell"  
  
"Right you are"  
  
There was a bustling about and Kurina slipped out and stood by the doorframe of the new prisoners cell.  
  
The largest Orc, Polus was dishing out the orders. He flexed his muscles in a sort of triumphant, I'm-so-more-important-than-all-of-you sort of way.  
  
"When do we call him for questioning, master?" asked his right hand man, certainly more than half serpent, his slithery movements (since he was always half bent over and moving his head like a charming serpent) and blue forked tongue would give anyone the shivers- especially Kurina. Her blood ran like ice water if he touched her.  
  
She watched as Polus picked the prisoner up by the shoulder with one hand, examining him loosely, "Dunno" he responded, "When ever it wakes up I suppose. We better go back to---" at this Kurina stopped listening and jumped into the nearest cell; all cells only opened from the outside when the lock was turned with a certain key, which changed quite often. Kurina though always managed to find one.  
  
She stood inside and shut over the door slightly; the orc group went past talking and thumped down the stairs heavily again.  
  
Feeling a great relief, Kurina turned around and faced the cell; a few words came to mind- Claw, great, big and beast. Luckily so did sleeping. The shaggy thing on the floor, when on all fours about waist height was out for the count. Her eyes wide open in fear, she ran out, the claws spread on the floor, unretracted were enough to send her moving.  
  
She was outside her room when curiosity got the better of her- She had to see the prisoner.  
  
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A/N- Remember reviews of any kind greatly received and flames shall be faced water and bravery! 


	4. Fast Friends and Raised eyebrows

Chapter four: - Fast Friends and Raised Eyebrows.  
  
Kurina went quietly up the stairs to the balcony level, it was known as that because it was just about 6 floors off the top floor of the tower, and housed a large balcony with guards swarming on it- usually. All the guards had been called away- accept a few in the corridors to discuss the impending prisoner.  
  
Waiting for the right moment, which came quickly as the guards all went out on to the balcony, which had a veil covering it from the passage, Kurina stealthily let herself into the prisoners room- he was fast asleep.  
  
She stood a moment taking his appearance in, yes another male- great surprise there! But he wasn't an orc, or elf, or man, he was. he was a something. She tilted her head and said aloud, "You don't look harmful" she then straightened herself up.  
  
"What the heck are you doing here?" She sat by him and pulled some curly hair away from his eyes. He looked weak and frail and as if he could sleep for ever.  
  
She lent close to him, his breath moved her hair back and forward- "Still breathing then!" She thought.  
  
She sat for a while, a short one, and wondered what to do. This face didn't seem like a dangerous face so why the fuss. OH NO! There had been words of a much sought after person roaming around, someone wanted very high up- could he? Was he?  
  
She looked at him once more (since her eyes had been roving about on the wall), what was she going to do?  
  
She had it! She was going to kidnap him, well not kidnap him but make it look as if he escaped and SHE would find him- ultimate praise to her- the other orcs would have to pay attention to her.  
  
Just then the thing let out a groggy noise, "Uuuurrrr" Kurina sprang back.  
  
Frodo's vision was extremely blurry. He saw a fuzzy blob centred in an even fuzzier red blob- his neck was in pain, like the rest of him. "Where? Who? What?" stuttered Frodo slowly, his head bobbing about as he collapsed onto an elbow.  
  
Kurina crawled gingerly over to him on her knees- she then remembered her plan and grabbed him roughly by the arm and jumped him up to his feet.  
  
"You can ask me later" she ordered swinging him forward to the door. It was like moving seaweed.  
  
She used her other hand, he one not grasping Frodo, to open the door. In the corridor she pulled him out, closed the door and hid him around the corner, holding her hand over his mouth. He would have protested but she was quite gentle and the room he was imprisoned in smelt the Shelob's layer (for the record- disgusting)- ok maybe not that bad but it smelt of damp earth, among other things.  
  
Kurina was looking closely at him- he should survive what she had planned. All of a sudden she remembered something, the two other girls. She might aswell free them too, that might add to the praise, plus the fact she might just go crazy spending time with a lousy damaged man. thing.  
  
She let go of him and allowed him to slump to the floor heavily. "Don't move, just stay there" Like he was going anywhere? Really?  
  
She went back to the cell, which was one from the claw beast and jimmied the door open with her key- beginning to be quite the handy implement. Entering she saw a woman sitting on a bed, she had hair, auburn, just a bit above half way down her back, light brown eyes, and a determined face. She stood up on guard, the woman was also very tall, noted Kurina. Kurina spoke very fast, "Look no time to explain, stay with me and we're going to get out of here" the woman opened her mouth a few times to comment but got nowhere. The woman brushed past her into the corridor.  
  
"What's the plan, girl? We can hardly walk out," said the new girl questionably.  
  
Kurina smiled happily, her plan was good. "We're not going to have to"  
  
Behind them a door bust open, a claw beast snarled at the girls. Since Kurina could not go white, she went a lighter shade of green in the face.  
  
The other girl however whistled at it and it jumped all over her- this was getting. weird.  
  
"Before we go I have to do something" the girl told Kurina. She went to the cell by the stairs and kicked the door neatly down- admittedly she had her uses. She jumped in there, pulled out the silver haired girl, who floundered in her clutch much like Frodo in Kurina's, and rejoined the odd group.  
  
"We gonna go?" said the woman impatiently.  
  
"Name?"  
  
The girl raised her head proudly, "Firefly"  
  
"Kurina"  
  
"Right. so we go how?"  
  
Kurina was practically jumping on the spot at her brilliance.  
  
"Wait here"  
  
"No you explain your "plan" first"  
  
Briefly, and irritably, Kurina did this. Firefly seemed impressed.  
  
They were reading to break out.  
  
Behind the red balcony veil, not much could be seen; it was the same the other way around. Kurina stepped through the partition; on cue Firefly punched a wall, "THE PRISONER- SHE'S BREAKING OUT!"  
  
The guards hurried out, one remaining behind, Firefly was waiting with her fists. The two guards ran neck first into her arms.  
  
The prisoners stepped around them, Frodo held up by Firefly, not quite knowing what the heck was going on.  
  
Kurina fought the other guard, he was about to crush her when a surprised helper stepped in, and a snowy fist hit the guard out. The elf girl collapsed to the floor in pain, Kurina rolled her eyes- at least she helped. Craning over the balcony, Kurina wolf whistled a tune, loudly, sending tremors up the structure. A winged black beast flew to her and hovered by the balcony, it was a ring wraiths beast.  
  
"We're flying out on. that," the elf girl asked dizzily as she gulped and found her voice.  
  
Grabbing her by the shoulders and hauling her on Kurina confirmed her fears, "Yeeeesss"  
  
Firefly gave Kurina Frodo, and Kurina the elf. "For goodness sake, do not drop him," warned Firefly, seeming to get attached to him.  
  
Just them a small army of guards burst in through the veil, Kurina had heard their steps.  
  
"I'll handle them, go" commanded Firefly, shoeing Kurina closer to the hovering beast. Her pride not allowing her to jump on, she stood her ground. The two dashed forward in a flurry of fists and beat the orcs against. well anything, but more were streaming up, the thundering noise made that clear.  
  
They turned back and one after the other, swung straight into the large saddle and with Kurina steering were off.  
  
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A/N: - Don't hesitate to leave a donation in the feedback box. 


	5. Finding Ground

Chapter Five: - Finding Ground.  
  
They had managed to clear over Shelob's layer, but problems began. Two other riders, both on separate winged. things. They flew either of the one the prisoners were manning, unfortunately, Kurina was at the reigns, and she felt weak almost instantly. She grabbed all the strength she could before she let go and the beast slide vertically downwards at an amazing speed.  
  
"Or.ooooorrrrrrccccc" Firefly grabbed the reigns and pulled its head up, Frodo threw up all over her brown leather sleeveless jacket. This caused the elf girl to throw up aswell, but since the wraiths were now below them, it landed on one.  
  
The elf clapped her hand to her head. She wailed and screeched, Frodo kept throwing up everywhere. Firefly and her red long sleeved top and no sleeved leather jacket were not impressed at all.  
  
The smell brought Kurina round a bit. "What in the name of mercy" she said dreamily. Firefly hit a hard left and sailed over mountains, getting as close to the ridges as possibly. Kurina watched a sheer rock face appear before her and narrowly miss her nose. There was a small cave on the left hand side of it, set back a bit, Firefly sharply angled the beast to in it and managed to park it by the caves entrance. Kurina swung her leg over the beast's head and landed a bit offly on her feet. Firefly catapulted herself off and landed beautifully, where as Frodo slid to the side and landed pretty much face first on the ground, the elf following with the sliding, but she managed to slither with her face on the beast's side, on to her knees.  
  
Firefly nearly caught Frodo; she pulled him up, "Hello. Erm, can you hear me? Hello?"  
  
"Is it alright?" asked Kurina eyeing Frodo with her legs wide for extra balance.  
  
"I don't know, are you?" her eyes turned suddenly to Kurina's with perfect accuracy. "Never saw anyone take such a dive after coming near one of them"  
  
"It was nothing, it just had. It was the altitude, I get. head aches"  
  
"Head aches?"  
  
Kurina blushed, "Yes head aches"  
  
The claw beast jumped down and began licking the elven girl, who screamed loudly and beat the air and eventually the claw beast, making it fly backwards. and growl. Firefly grabbed its neck fur,  
  
"She didn't mean it"  
  
The girl wiped the thick slobber off her face.  
  
Her light blue eyes were looking at her company with despair- Kurina turned to Firefly and seriously suggested, "Do you recon we should hit her over the head with something?" the girl squeaked nervously and backed into the beast.  
  
"We could," said Firefly in a mock devious voice, the girl squealed violently and the beats began to move about in fear. Kurina grabbed the girl from being wing splatter and held her shoulders, "She was joking. weren't you?" Kurina narrowed her eyes.  
  
Firefly shrugged- another violent squeak. "YES I WAS, OK!"  
  
The girl nodded nervously and fervently then scuttled away to a little corner whilst the two tended to Frodo, Firefly almost forgetting what he left on her coat.  
  
Firefly studied him closely; his eyes were crossing again, "He's some sort of hobbit"  
  
" A What-it?"  
  
"Hobbit"  
  
"Of course" said Kurina as if it was so obvious.  
  
"Will he (she chose her words carefully). live?"  
  
"Hopefully, we better get him in there though" she pointed to the cave.  
  
A while later, a couple of hours, Kurina sent the beast away, which was becoming to like hr she thought, and they had a fire going in the cave, the hobbit was still not to his senses fully, until, out of nowhere he sat up. Kurina almost jumped.  
  
He fell about a bit, "Where am I?"  
  
Firefly poked the fire, "Where does it look like? Can't you recognise a cave when you see one?"  
  
Frodo leant against the caves back wall; the cave was quite shallow and narrow, "Who are you? Where is Sam? I must see him," he said wearily.  
  
Kurina cocked her head and whispered to Firefly, "D'you think he's delusional or something?"  
  
Firefly laughed, "Probably"  
  
Frodo backed away a bit more. The elf, discovered to be called Alakalqua ("That's a bit of a mouthful isn't it"), was waking up, she made him feel a bit easier.  
  
"Why have you captured me?"  
  
"Captured you!" scoffed Kurina, "We saved you" Frodo doubted this. He narrowed his eyes on her, "If you saved me from the tower, who's saving ME from YOU!" he bellowed.  
  
Firefly was attempting patience, she had been stuck in a cell after a roughed up fight too, well since he was battered and bruised, fight was a good option to go for.  
  
Firefly had taken off her red jacket washed it with water from a skin attached to her waist, and was leaving it to dry. She kicked off her large dark brown/ almost black boots that were just above her knees. Sand and stones poured from the slender fitting shoes, she sat cursing "that-damned- prison". Silence proceeded after Firefly had tipped out sand and pebbles on the cold floor. Alakalqua decided to say something, "I. I am hungry, is anyone else?" she said, her light velvety voice echoing. Firefly glared at her, unsure how to take the comment.  
  
"Yes, I am" Kurina watched Firefly closely, "Can you hunt?"  
  
"I manage" smiled the elf, brushing back her long silver hair; the embroidered white shirt and trousers were going grey, as were the long gloves that she pulled off each hand. "Although. " She hesitated looking out the entrance to the barren land, "What exactly could we catch to eat".  
  
Firefly pulled her shoes on and loosened her sword, "Leave that to me. Me and Claw (the aptly named beast) will look. Worse comes to worse we'll eat him" she pointed at Frodo, who backed away.  
  
As she was about to leave she turned back, "Don't worry I wouldn't eat you. Too much hair" The hobbit looked at his feet- what did she mean? Too much? 


	6. Uuuuurrggghhh

Chapter 6: - Uuuuurrrggghhh  
  
There was another awkward silence, Kurina still felt sick and was clutching her stomach a bit. Alakalqua was walking about, well trying to, her legs were a bit weak; she hadn't eaten well recently and had rode dangerously on a . . . well a thing.  
  
Frodo felt unsure on how to react, no one seemed to be bothered about him, maybe the orc had been telling the truth. Kurina looked at him, and he glanced back at her. The cut she'd noticed earlier on his head was pouring still, she walked squarely up to him. He jumped a bit when she knelt down and instructed him to keep still.  
  
Tearing with her teeth some off her silver sheet, she dabbed his cut.  
  
Frodo opened his mouth and went to say something;  
  
"If you move you shall only cause more pain for yourself"  
  
He shut it. She wasn't very welcoming but it was a start. Alakalqua noticed what she was holding and took interest, "That's elven, how did you . . ."  
  
"My brother took it off a prisoner"  
  
"I know- it's mine"  
  
Great!  
  
"But you can keep it"  
  
Firefly jumped in rolling onto her back, "MOVE!" she yelled. A giant claw beast launched on top of her. She rolled forward turning the tables. She had a small pole to its neck that the beast was pushing further and further back. Claw joined the fight knocking Firefly off into the wall and wrestling one on one.  
  
"CLAW GET OUT OF THE WAY" The beast didn't budge. She kicked it in the ribs, sending it flying. The beast took a leap for Claw; at the height of this leap Firefly grabbed its neck and punched its jaw- the beast went down lazily.  
  
"Punch them . . . in. . their jaw. It's . . . a weak . . . part. If you . . . ever come across . . . one" she panted collapsing to her knees. Claw jumped on her angrily. She scuffed his fur, "I wasn't going to let him eat you," she said through deep breaths. Claw seemed to understand and guarded "lunch" or "dinner" they couldn't really remember.  
  
Alakalqua grimaced- how could this be the only food available? "Must we really eat (she picked up a limp arm) that?"  
  
"Unless you have any better ideas. I personally have never taken to claw beast meat myself but what else do we have?"  
  
She had a point- unfortunately.  
  
Night had fallen, and one claw beast later they all sat full around the fire. The remains of the claw beast were thrown into a chasm; the smell of food would only attract others.  
  
Kurina moaned, "I just feel worse"  
  
"You ok there?" asked Firefly, not forgetting the vertical drop from earlier on the wraith carrier.  
  
Kurina nodded hazily before swishing and tilting backwards, Firefly dashed for her but Frodo caught her head and let it down softly.  
  
Firefly smiled, "Still convinced you're on the menu?"  
  
"After that . . . Probably"  
  
Kurina tried to focus her fuzzy eyes. Her head felt extremely light, like the rest of her but when she attempted to raise her arm it felt like lead.  
  
The was something wet being dabbed on her face, "Don't try and move just yet. You won't get very far," some one said to her. She could see long brown hair, an unclear face and red.  
  
Firefly turned to Alakalqua, "Can't you heal her? You're an elf, aren't you?"  
  
Alakalqua hardened her face "I could if I knew what was causing her pain. I don't see you suggesting anything about that," she snapped the stress of being in a cave in Mordor, not the most vacation worthy spot, was beginning to get to everyone.  
  
Firefly looked at her patient, why did she have to be right? There was nothing anyone of them could do.  
  
"Maybe it was the food, we should have ate you" she smiled at Frodo trying to lighten the mood a little. Alakalqua clutched her stomach, "Well it was hardly gourmet"  
  
The dim light of the fire touched Kurina's pale face; she was almost a light green. Firefly began pacing the cave, what could she do, this is exactly why she choose her only company to be Claw. Kurina tried to move again to no avail.  
  
"What happened?" she asked quietly above the crackle of the flames. Frodo put her head on his knees and tried to give her a comforting look, Kurina acted badly to this. "What's wrong?" she asked startled.  
  
"Nothing" he replied quickly.  
  
"You don't give someone one of those "looks" the it's-going-to-be-alright looks unless something bad has happened"  
  
"We don't know what's wrong with you. What ever it is . . . It's spreading"  
  
Kurina mouthed "What" before she noticed Claw in the corner whimpering softly. Frodo also looked seriously off colour aswell, but he'd been a mess since they had found him.  
  
"Well this is excellent," exclaimed Alakalqua despairingly. "We have to escape, find some other hobbit called (she thought for a moment) . . . Sam, and we've all got . . . Something"  
  
That was the tall and short of it.  
  
"We just have to move quicker than expected. We can't go anywhere today but we make for the borders tomorrow night," this was the best Firefly could come up with. "Until then we're living on hope and prayers" 


	7. Quality time and Arguements

Chapter 7: - Quality time and Arguments.  
  
Firefly collapsed near the entrance, it was thundering outside with forked lightening hitting the valley floor infront of them. Some of the rain had got her, but it cooled her down. She gazed over her shoulder. It was still only a few hours since they discovered the mystery illness and Kurina had been thrashing with enormous strength from some sort of temporary fever. It had passed and she was drained and pale once more. Alakalqua was nursing a deep cut on her arm (Kurina had swung for her) when she slumped to the floor at the opposite end of the cave.  
  
"How's the arm?" asked Firefly tiredly shaking some rain off her hands and wringing out her hair.  
  
Alakalqua hissed at the pain as she cleaned the wound, "It will heal. How are you bruises?" she asked playfully. Firefly had taken the brunt of most of Kurina's violent arm and leg movements. Firefly shifted off a painful area on her back, which spread around her side.  
  
"I think I will survive" Alakalqua laughed; the woman before her head wrestled a strong claw beast over the mountains and came off fine, but when faced with a sick orc, got injured.  
  
Firefly walked (with a slight limp) over to the hobbit and the elf.  
  
"She looks so peaceful when she's not grappling for my neck" Firefly laughed.  
  
"You're lucky she only went for your neck," grinned Frodo. As was becoming the style, a silence followed, Alakalqua thought of an old elf game she played as a child.  
  
"Elllllroooonnnd saaayyysss (she slurred as she thought) . . . Bark like a beast"  
  
"Ooooooowwwwwwrrrrrrrr" chorused the two others, and Claw.  
  
"Punch the wall"  
  
"Owww!" Cried Frodo as he slammed his fist at the rocks.  
  
"Hum, did I say, "Elrond says"?"  
  
Great bloody knuckles and he was out.  
  
"Can't we play a game from the Shire?" moaned Frodo, who didn't really like loosing. "Like what? We don't appear to have any wine here"  
  
Frodo looked offended, "Not every hobbit game involves . . . wine. I . . . I can think of three which don't"  
  
"Go ahead then," challenged Firefly and Alakalqua.  
  
"Actually one needs a wine bottle but I know two others. One of them requires skill and strength" Firefly looked at them both and herself.  
  
"Well then there is . . ."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It involves wine"  
  
Firefly rolled her eyes- she knew it!  
  
"Why don't we just talk"  
  
"About what?" asked Frodo. He looked at her as she gave him an open look.  
  
Alakalqua was the first to speak, "Who is this "Sam" girl?" she asked curiously.  
  
Frodo stifled a laugh, "HE is a companion of mine. We are travelling to . . . we are travelling to Mordor" Firefly gave him a mock serious look.  
  
"Of all the places to take a vacation" Alakalqua didn't quite seem to get the joke. She pushed some dirt off her tight white trousers and silvery grey boots. The cold seemed to rush in and threatened to puff out their fire. The rain was scoring along the entrance leaving long belt of water, which dripped down occasionally to dampen someone's legs.  
  
"Who else are you travelling with?" asked Firefly with her usual smooth but strong voice. Frodo hesitated at first but thought he might as well tell them; they had saved from prison and therefore were owed some honesty from him.  
  
"A creature, Gollum. He was a hobbit . . . once. We travelling with him and he betrayed us."  
  
"Is this creature a slimy, grey, wiry? Hisses and bites?" Kurina said hazily with some spite as she looked back upon a not-so-fond memory.  
  
Frodo looked astonished. He gazed with wide eyes at her.  
  
"Yes" he whispered. "How did you guess?"  
  
"It wasn't a guess, Hobbit. What I saw was enough even if he moved fast and I only focused on his neck and legs- since they wouldn't stop moving" she sounded as though she had to force the words out.  
  
Frodo looked very worried and Kurina- bitter.  
  
"Wh-wh-what does this mean?" stammered Alakalqua getting nervous at how the other two were reacting.  
  
"I don't know," said Frodo honestly.  
  
"It's gone what ever it is"  
  
"BUT IT'S LOOSE" cried Alakalqua.  
  
"It's not coming back" Firefly brandished her knives and swung them into their holsters at her sides. Firefly had managed to grab them off a guard who had taken them when she was on the balcony. The holsters housed the large weapons well, Alakalqua decided she would have to help if worse came to worse and the thing attacked them like it did Kurina . . . Maybe it caused the illness.  
  
"If worse comes about" Alakalqua showed for the first time the daggers she had in her boots, "I'll help you"  
  
"NO!" yelped Frodo jumping up.  
  
The two girls stood back shocked.  
  
"What! That thing was roaming . . . is roaming about . . . it went for Kurina and it betrayed YOU!"  
  
"Firefly, you can not hurt him, I won't let you"  
  
"Two good reasons, halfling"  
  
"He . . . he . . . He was our guide"  
  
"Well he's got an uncanny knack of guiding you into danger"  
  
"You just can't" his eyes were nearly spilling tears. Firefly lowered her rage and spoke levelly.  
  
"What if he comes here looking for blood?"  
  
Frodo gulped, why did she have to have a point?  
  
"Restrain him" Alakalqua's mouth hung open. "Restrain him and then we will think more on the matter. Do I have you word that neither of you will harm him?" He had to stress the "neither" part since Alakalqua was looking rather hostile now.  
  
"You have mine," agreed Firefly. Alakalqua was glared hotly at Frodo.  
  
Firefly jabbed her in the ribs with her elbow. "Mine too"  
  
"Thank you"  
  
Alakalqua stormed off to the entrance, Firefly rolled her eyes and followed. She grabbed the elf strongly by her arm; "I'm as uncomfortable about this as you----"  
  
"Then why did you agree?"  
  
"I think the thing owes us some answers"  
  
Alakalqua made a disapproving noise.  
  
"I just don't like the idea of something that is making ill---"  
  
"Possibly" Firefly corrected.  
  
"Possibly . . . I just don't want it here"  
  
A few hours from morning Frodo was taken sick. He and Kurina lay crumpled together whilst Alakalqua changed with Firefly for guard duty. The sound of the rain hitting the rocks outside was echoing through out the cave. As they changed a small figure slipped in.  
  
Firefly sat in the entrance; she got up and turned on her heel before diving and pinning something down. 


	8. Escaping the snakes grasp

Chapter eight: - Escaping the Snakes grasp.  
  
Firefly had flown so fast past her nose and jumped on what ever it was so quickly, Alakalqua didn't quite understand what had happened.  
  
She stood mouthing "What?" as Firefly wrestled a small creature. Frodo and Kurina managed to get up, they both felt better for sleeping, both of them knew who it was straight away, or more likely what it was in Kurina's opinion.  
  
"Gollum" said Frodo quietly, but everyone heard even over the struggle, the thumps and the rain.  
  
Firefly was doing well trying to keep it still at first, but Alakalqua had to step in and help, they pushed the creature with great force, back first against a wall.  
  
"You should learn to clean up your footprints," growled Firefly.  
  
The thing began to wail- as usual, thought Frodo.  
  
Firefly wasn't quite as sympathetic as Frodo, or even Sam had been.  
  
She punched him.  
  
"Seal it"  
  
The creature looked at her with surprised and scared eyes. People normally pitied him, or grew inpatient- none so far had whacked him.  
  
His mouth remained closed.  
  
"Thought that might quieten you down" said remarked, her fist throbbing. Even though he had a bony face, she put a lot of effort into the knock.  
  
Claw managed to growl creature.  
  
"This Gollum?" she asked over her shoulder. She saw Frodo nod out of the corner of her eye. She tightened her grip, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure"  
  
"I'm Firefly," she growled digging him into the wall.  
  
"Don't hurrrrt usss," whined Gollum with a shaking voice.  
  
"Comply and I won't have to" she spat.  
  
Gollum nodded and they loosened their grips on him. What happened next happened extremely fast, even for Firefly. Gollum balled up his gangly legs and sprung them out, Firefly flew back and hung out of the entrance. The cave was position over a long steep valley; a small lip of land was between her and a bumpy uneven fall. The rock seemed to angle down near vertical at times and it was about the size 24-wraith carriers (they're each about the size of two houses on top of one another) to the bottom. Firefly got up onto her elbow and rubbed her head.  
  
She mumbled before she noticed Gollum dashing at her and pouncing on her. She punched his chin up but he kept kick and squirming. The other three managed to get out, along with Claw as the two fighting rolled out into the torrential rain.  
  
Sides kept switching, one minute it was Firefly doing the pinning next Gollum. Firefly's back was scraped and cut; she was lucky her top was red. She kicked powerfully upwards as she shook her damp hair out of her eyes. Gollum flew back to the cave entrance but came for her again. She rolled her eyes; this one wasn't going to give up easily was he?  
  
She was ready to hit him when he jumped plain over her; she turned and was kicked in the jaw. This was it. She rested her hands on her knives but then changed her mind- this thing was going down by her bare hands.  
  
She ran back and faced Gollum as he ran up to her, making it look like she was going to kick and hiding a hand behind her back, Gollum, feeling quite cocky at this stage leaped and then she let him have it.  
  
Gollum slid to the edge of the caves walkway.  
  
Blood dripped from Firefly's cuts on her back and her fist. She touched a cut on her chin and examined her hand, "Ow" she said in a low angry voice.  
  
Gollum looked wildly about for a way to escape.  
  
"You hit the wrong girl on the wrong day" she growled. Alakalqua watched her rage fire up as she supported the other two, Claw was struggling on his feet and growling.  
  
Gollum saw something on the horizon and regained his confidence. She didn't have time to look and focus before Firefly found herself being taken from her right side and plummeted forward to the tip of the walk way. She was grasping at him her best but he was far too quick for her. He knelt up taking Firefly by the collar with him. She was on her knees and part of her legs were dangling over into the valley. Gollum grappled for her neck and sneered at her.  
  
She looked helplessly over his shoulder, what she saw made her cry out. Gollum turned around and Firefly ducked, because Gollum held on so tight he went up into the air, where Claw jumped on him and pulled him off. Firefly slid down roughly on the stone and then flipped onto her back by the edge. Gollum and Claw were fighting in the air when she saw then go over, the woman tried desperately to look over her shoulder but her sore back and neck wouldn't let her.  
  
She pulled the air in into her chest painfully and forced herself up onto her hands to look over, nothing. Alakalqua dropped Kurina and Frodo and ran to her, grabbing the woman's shoulders to prevent he from toppling over.  
  
Firefly's voice trembled, "Oh . . . no" she breathed. "Not him" Alakalqua's tears pinged on to her red top.  
  
There was a thud.  
  
Firefly, who had turned away looked back with precise accuracy, saw another dark lip of land far beneath and a bit more forward, Gollum rolled out of a hidden cave. Claw, who had a tendency to fight to the bitter end jumped out and growled before slashing at the creature with his sharp claws. Gollum scampered to the right and away out of sight. Claw snarled after him and then keeled to the right.  
  
"CLAW!" yelped Firefly.  
  
Alakalqua nudged her, "Err, Firefly" she turned and looked up, Alakalqua was looking left the caves walkway they were positioned on was only a few a stones throw away from the ultimate top of the chasm.  
  
"That's the least of our worries"  
  
Firefly turned to look up and over to the left. On the edge of the chasm, infront of a steep but walkable shelf of land that led with in jumping distance of their cave, stood an army of orcs.  
  
Firefly looked over at them, not more running!  
  
**************************************************************************** ****************************************************************************  
  
A/N: - Don't forget to leave a donation in the feed back box and thanks to Gina for taking the time to do so! Come on anyone else, I'm going for ten. 


	9. Clutches of Doom

Chapter Nine: - Clutches of doom.  
  
Firefly's heart was racing and all the colour had drained from Alakalqua's face.  
  
"There they are!" roared the leader as they began running at them. Firefly jumped up and took Frodo and Kurina, Alakalqua grabbed their stuff and opened an elven rope she had in her trousers. Firefly's whole face lit up. "You're really not that bad" she laughed through her injuries.  
  
They tied it around a large rock and swung down to the lower shelf and to Claw.  
  
Firefly held the rope with Alakalqua, they pulled and the rock came tumbling down, along with the rope. Though Alakalqua was strong they needed so much strength to tumble the rock, Firefly collapsed on her hands.  
  
"This area is not accessible by foot" she panted, "This should stall them". She crawled weakly over to claw and fell on her back. His breath was as shallow and ragged as hers. His large eyes looked at her.  
  
Alakalqua looked longingly at her and the other two, she was the only one left to stand her ground. Firefly was torn and cut but most importantly exhausted.  
  
There had to be a way to get out of here.  
  
Just then something unexpected happened, a large rope dropped down. Alakalqua rolled her eyes; this was exactly what she needed, well equipped orcs.  
  
Five slid down to greet them, heading the group was the large Polus.  
  
He looked down cruelly at the woman who was struggling to stand up on the ground.  
  
"Not looking your best today, Firefly," he laughed.  
  
She stood up painfully glaring at the large orc. "I'm doing just fine. Need a little repair, but nothing a good nights sleep won't cure me of"  
  
He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her into the air, "Too bad there is no time for sleep"  
  
The orc Polus, a blue, green and purple coloured orc with huge muscles a massive jaw line a head way to big for his shoulders was so busy basking in the final surrender of possible one of the most if not the most difficult prisoner to trap and capture, that he did not see Alakalqua's fist swing his way. She hit him in the eyes and he dropped Firefly in shock.  
  
His eyes burned (well they were a dark red colour, with a hint of brown) and his nostrils flared. The elf he had captured seemed to have changed dramatically. She was tough before but couldn't handle being a prisoner and now here she was protecting someone she barely knew.  
  
He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her off her feet. She was now eye height with the monster.  
  
He was about to snarl something before Kurina jumped on the band wagon and stretched out her arm from her position on the ground, "Polus no!" She yelped. He raised an eyebrow, this was getting weird.  
  
"I'm sorry your highness" he said in a mocking voice. "But if you don't mind, I'm trying to save you"  
  
Kurina was, to say the least, surprised.  
  
"Save me . . . From what?"  
  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK?" he asked heatedly. "The grabbed you from the tower. I saw Firefly jump onto a wraith rider ("so that's what they're called") and you collapsed and she took you out of here. Don't know why she took these aswell" he gave the elf in his clutches a funny sideways glance.  
  
"Polus!" she demanded.  
  
"Quieten down, I will take you back to the tower in good time"  
  
"I RESCUED THEM!"  
  
Polus dropped Alakalqua . . . and his smugness. His eyes drifted to Kurina who had now turned a bit sheepish towards his reaction. Unfortunately for her, her brother also sailed down to meet them. The tall, and slim (in the view of an orc) orc's jaw dropped. He then focused on his sister and realised how pale and ill she looked.  
  
"What happened to you?" he muttered looking at her. She began to stumble up to her feet only to fall, but on decent Firefly caught her, but so did someone else. Firefly had barely enough strength at that moment to keep herself up; it was actually Polus's giant hand keeping her standing. His other hand then softened Firefly's fall as he looked about at the group he had found. They were all in need of a good nights sleep and possibly the strongest orc wine in the tower.  
  
For once Polus had no idea how to react or what to say. He stuttered and mumbled, even though his army holding the rope for him to climb back up were shouting impatiently for him to grab them, he still didn't know what he was going to do- so much for being the cockiest orc in the tower.  
  
Firefly was hanging loosely in the air and finally came up with a plan. She coughed violently and flung herself over Polus's shoulder, landing next to his ear.  
  
She whispered into his large ear, "You have to"  
  
"No, I'm taking you all back" he argued quietly.  
  
"You have to do this"  
  
"Please!" she said desperately but it was no use, she collapsed on him, thoroughly exhausted and a little bit ill.  
  
"Firefly!" Yelped Alakalqua being held back by the other orcs. Polus gave Kurina to her brothers and slung Firefly's weak form over his large- and quite cushiony- shoulder.  
  
"You . . . cannot do this" Firefly said weakly. She was loosing quite a bit of blood now through her cuts, and looked a state.  
  
"Looks like I am"  
  
**************************************************************************** ****************************************************** But where are they going? My attempt at a cling hanger. 


	10. Tower sweet tower

Chapter 10: - Tower sweet Tower.  
  
Firefly felt groggy. Actually groggy was an understatement. If there was possibly something worse, that's how she felt. Her eyes weren't all that clear and her head was pounding.  
  
She looked up; she was on her back on an uncomfortable floor. Wait a second, an actual floor not a huge slab. She saw a low ceiling. This wasn't good.  
  
She slapped her hand on her head and made a groaning sound.  
  
"Incase you haven't noticed" said Kurina dryly from above Firefly's head. "We're home back in Morgul tower"  
  
Firefly rolled over, she saw a door, and near to that, a mirror. Either the prisons had been knocked up a notch or.  
  
"I take it this hovel is your bedroom?"  
  
If not slightly offended, "Well, yes" said Kurina shortly.  
  
Firefly sat up and looked around the small room. It had a window on the left hand wall above the bed, it was small and provided little light, but it was the best amount of light Mordor could provide without knocking down the wall.  
  
Kurina sat against a wall on her bed with Alakalqua next to her- who seemed particularly proud of her black and numerous bruises, ripped sleeve and cuts- she had put up quite the fight.  
  
Frodo was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Where's the hobbit gone?" Firefly asked vaguely as she jumped onto the bed.  
  
"Questioning" replied Kurina. She looked a lot better. Firefly noticed a crystal stone hung around her neck- that explains it.  
  
Firefly looked down at her own chest, no such luck. No wonder she felt as though a wraith rider had hurled her two miles, by her feet.  
  
She was improving though, and was beginning to form another plan when Polus burst into the room.  
  
Two guards were standing watch outside. He crossed his arms and looked disapprovingly at them in a mock sort of way,  
  
"You all had better follow me" he smirked.  
  
The guards escorted them to the stairway, Kurina was not happy to be able to walk not stumble on the stairs as they were led into the hall were the food was given out and inspirational ("Of course!") were delivered. They were taken to the podium where a door was revealed and they were led down a tight staircase.  
  
They entered at the head of the master hall, where the head honcho of the tower spoke; it was accessed by the main stairwell but you had to go through quite a bit to get there. The more superior orcs took the direct stair root. The room was large, echoic and red. Really red. A large throne was positioned at the front, in front of red veils. An orc was seated there.  
  
"Are these the prisoners of whom you previously spoke of, Polus?" asked the mighty orc largely.  
  
Polus, and the three guards who accompanied them there, knelt. "They are"  
  
"Rise," said the other orc quickly as if he's said it many times before. They did.  
  
Firefly ran as fast as she could to the orc but was stopped at the foot of the raised throne. His eyes glowed angrily at her- how dare she? He must have thought.  
  
"What have you done with Frodo?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
Polus elbowed her sharply in the ribs. He wasn't there?  
  
"Polus what is she jabbering on about? Who is . . . Frodo?"  
  
"The ring bearer. He escaped from us"  
  
"You had better find him," the leading orc hissed.  
  
"We will"  
  
Taking Firefly's arm in his large fist, and not too gently she noted, Polus pushed her to the podium first.  
  
The orc leader looked upon her with a curious and evil look. She had seen him wear that look before,  
  
"Magnus. It is lovely to see you are well," she mocked the orcs, even Kurina, gasped, she had used his name, they knew it by rumour- how could she know it?  
  
"Firefly. I might have known it would be you. You were ever the only prisoner who could possibly escape from here," he said smoothly leaning on his elbow. Alakalqua muttered, "Me too" but no one heard.  
  
"Now I'll make this quick, I'm a busy orc, things to do"  
  
"Like being Sauron's slave? Yes, I could imagine that being a full-time responsibility," growled Firefly, remembering just why she couldn't stand Magnus, so slimy and unloyal.  
  
Magnus shook her comment off with a false laugh and preceded to his usual style of quick fire questions, "How do you know the hobbit?"  
  
"The what-it?"  
  
"Hobbit"  
  
"Saved him from you"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I happen to think no one deserves to see you. It's just cruel"  
  
"Firefly" he said warningly narrowing his eyes. After giving her a few testy looks, and more guards narrowing on her, she gave a false submission.  
  
"We. . . (saying the first thing she could think of) travelled together" she replied heavily, acting of course.  
  
Magnus wasn't convinced, "He said he rode with one called Sam"  
  
Acting surprised, and putting on a shocked expression, "How do you know?" Kurina heard sarcasm but clearly male orcs were unaware of it. "He kept calling out, "Sam!" and repeatedly whined, "I need to find Sam"", Magnus had the characteristic male-orc ha-ha-I'm-smarter-than-you look, sheer triumph, but Firefly knew him well enough to move past that and keep trying to convince him. She looked sorrowfully around the red room and said quietly, "My real name is Samantha Firefly" Even Kurina gasped- for effect.  
  
"You lie," he said harshly.  
  
"You think I like the name? No! I rescued him from a band of your empty- headed orcs and took care of him in the wilderness"  
  
Magnus shifted his weight to his other elbow and lent forward, in a quite serious voice he pressed on, "Why?"  
  
"Because if your sorry "men" were looking for him, a defenceless (If he had been here Frodo would have called "Hey!") little (and "I'm tall for my age") creature (followed by "Hobbit!"), he must have some great worth and I felt sorry for him" the end of her explanation seemed to have worked.  
  
"And you two travelled alone?"  
  
She saw a flaw in her plan, the grey thing she had pummelled earlier would know the truth, Polus and his men got information on him, now what? Her stomach sunk but she kept her story straight.  
  
"We travelled alone"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, up until we were both captured"  
  
"But there are reports of the Gollum. Some say they saw him"  
  
"He led him after you caught me"  
  
"Very well. Polus is this Gollums word? I was informed you knew"  
  
Polus looked at no one but Magnus, Firefly was preparing to run and looked at the others who understood the look she wore. Polus kept a straight face and said, "Yes"  
  
"Very well"  
  
Dismissing her, the others were taken into question and Polus escorted her to the tower again. When the two of them tiredly entered after the look haul up the stairs Firefly looked carefully at Polus,  
  
"You lied for me and not only that . . ." she looked at the robust orc and finally began making sense of a few things, "You freed Frodo"  
  
"I have not freed the hobbit, he hides in my quarters. You will escape with him, you and the elf"  
  
"What!" 


	11. All making sense

Chapter 11: - All making sense?  
  
Firefly paced the room; Alakalqua was nestled by the roaring fire next to her tracks. Picking up the nearest sharp object, a steak knife, Firefly began hurling things at the wall.  
  
Alakalqua squeaked, "Must you do that?" Looking at the array.  
  
Firefly turned to her with a burning hostility in her nut eyes, the same looks the elf had first received from the woman. "If this prevents me from ripping through this very tower with the force of my anger, what do you think?" she spat out her words as if they were venom. Alakalqua sank further into the padded leather chair; Firefly wasn't in a fit state to listen to anyone's opinions.  
  
The only door in the room, near Firefly's "targets" was opened. Parts of what used to be a cup barely missed Polus' head.  
  
"Your aim is still a little poor" commented the huge orc, not jaded by her rage.  
  
"Believe Me," she said shifting her weight anxiously, "It is all coming back to me" Firefly felt as if her fists were burning.  
  
The next chard of metal landed just above Polus's hand as he closed the door. Wedging it from the wooden creation and ushering Firefly to a chair, he sat down next to the nervous elf.  
  
He handed her something from his pocket. It was a small white flower with raindrop shaped petals and the scent of morning dew.  
  
Turning it over, Alakalqua asked, "What is this for? Hardly decoration for you . . . abode"  
  
"Eat it," he instructed simply. He handed Firefly one two. Being starving, Alakalqua nearly ate her hands in the discovery of food, but Firefly was more questioning.  
  
"Why?" she said narrowing her eyes in the firelight. Polus was more than happy to explain.  
  
"To protect you against the sickness from Kurina"  
  
"Which was?"  
  
"To put it simply- Chill"  
  
"Chill?"  
  
"Yes- Chill"  
  
"You sure it is chill?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"One problem"  
  
"I'm listening"  
  
"Elves don't get sick!"  
  
Polus tapped his temple, "See I know. It is not a proper sickness contracted through air but from something you all came in contact with which you could not fight" Polus's grin spanned ear to ear, he was adoring his superiority.  
  
"Something only women get"  
  
Firefly laughed, "Are you trying to tell me that THAT thing in the corner (Frodo) is a female!"  
  
"Well clearly hobbits . . . "  
  
"What-its?"  
  
"Frodo's"  
  
"Oh"  
  
"Well they get it too"  
  
"And what is it?"  
  
"Chill!"  
  
They both felt like dogs chasing their tales. Chill was something given to those who came in contact with dark demons and themselves did not posses a black heart. The chill was something that could only affect a person who a kind and light person, it was sort of a sickness caused by evil, Kurina herself had been worse affected having been with the wraiths the longest. Women had been known to have a smaller resistance to it, but Polus saying "only women" wasn't exactly true.  
  
After all of them had eaten the pale coloured flower and supped so fresh water, they instantly began to feel a slight bit better, lighter and not so feverish. Firefly herself began to reclaim some of her balance and poise.  
  
Firefly stood up, changing the weight on the balls of her feet in fighting stance, she still wasn't back to her old self just yet, noted the warrior.  
  
The group marvelled at their reclaimed strength, it was quite still before Alakalqua threw a rock in the pond.  
  
"So why are you helping us?" she asked absentmindedly immediately clamping her hand on her mouth.  
  
Polus gave her a warm smile, something very unusual for him; Kurina even raised an eyebrow at the gesture.  
  
"Because, quite simply" Firefly noticed him stalling  
  
Crossing her arms the warrior said slyly, "You don't want to tell us, do you?"  
  
Polus made no reply.  
  
"I can see it in your eyes. My guess is you are doing this no out of compassion or because (she gave him a cocky look) you want to go on chasing me all your life . . . no you want to rattle someone's chain and get some glory" she accused across the fire. Polus coolly stared at her, "That is not the true" he responded. Firefly had been tormented by the question long enough, her angry fists slammed against the table between them on which the water glasses rested; these mostly flew off the table in a shuddering motion. Alakalqua shrank into her chair as Kurina jumped, they had both forgotten the fury that came with the face.  
  
Polus had too, as Firefly lunged to grab his collar, he caught her small hands in his larger ones nearly engulfing hers completely.  
  
"Do you really desire truth?" he snarled crushing her fingers. Firefly shifted and grimaced through the pain.  
  
"I . . . thought . . . that was . . . clear" she said through gritted teeth. Kurina was close to dashing over to rescue the struggling Firefly but knew all too well it was a matter for the two of them.  
  
"You wish to know why I'm having you freed!" boomed in a large voice.  
  
Firefly continued to try to wench her hands free, "It'd been nice," she snapped laboriously.  
  
"Because I was told to let you all leave!" He flung Firefly's had away and temporally she looked at him with a stunned expression, told to!  
  
Alakalqua shuffled around as Kurina tried her best to make sense of what she had just been told.  
  
Firefly felt like a tree, a lonely tree a-top a mountain in the middle of a blizzard.  
  
The amber fire began to roar up once more as if fuelled by thoughts.  
  
"By your own choice?" Firefly said finally in a quite voice. Polus flexed his arms lazily, the blue tone in his arms showing through vividly from under his armour.  
  
Trying to be impassive, he replied simply, "Yes and no"  
  
They all felt better from hearing the reluctance in his voice.  
  
"You had no choice in the matter?"  
  
"No, Firefly, it would seem not"  
  
Using civilised voices, they both suppressed hidden emotions.  
  
Firefly's eyes twinkled as they look at the orcs, "You're taking your orders from higher than yourself, am I right?" she questioned tactfully. Polus nodded. "Higher than this tower?" Nod.  
  
Thought lines wrinkled her young face. She tapped her chin before turning a superior eye upon he giant orc in the leather armchair.  
  
"That makes perfect sense" Finally, Polus thought, He'd understand this "logic"  
  
Firefly rounded to her companions, "We'll leave as soon as can be arranged"  
  
Polus slammed his fist down on the table before him. "Oh, no!"  
  
This reaction was expected and even planned.  
  
Firefly turned to him quickly, "You said we could vacate the tower, changed your mind?" If he had looked carefully, Polus would have noticed the cocky glint in the woman's eye.  
  
"BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE, WHY AND HOW IN MIDDLE EARTH YOU KNOW!"  
  
The magnitude of his voice was so great it sent Firefly rocketing backwards. Than wasn't in the plan!  
  
Kurina watched as Firefly almost immediately took her guard and jumped shakily between them, both grabbed an arm and gave the other a dirty glance.  
  
"Firefly tell him and us, now"  
  
Firefly couldn't argue with the orc, she'd saved her life and was generally a pleasant person.  
  
"Clearly the higher powers have a trap for Frodo or want him to lead them to something they can't find themselves. Either way, they want him to lead them to something which he would not do under guard supervision" Firefly responded heavy heartedly.  
  
"Thank you" Polus muttered in return when Kurina elbowed him.  
  
Feeling left out, Alakalqua joined in, "When can we---"  
  
At that moment, their escape route just became very apparent, Claw bounded in through the only window. Bounding up to Firefly, the two rejoiced to see one and other again (the claw beast's huge paws on her shoulder as she stood up). Polus had known Claw would find Firefly with ease; the two were very close and almost never parted.  
  
Firefly stepped back and leant gently on her armchair before giving Polus a look, such strange a look sent everyone's mind into spirals of questions, all except Polus. Firefly raised an eyebrow, the kind of look she'd give an unworthy opponent after they had challenged her to a dual. Polus responded in one that basically looked like any time, but really it was of course. The quick succession of glances left all others spellbound, as they both understood every gesture and wink. Finally Firefly winked a final wink and said, "H'ren" in an accent none had heard.  
  
"Mirhth" responded the orc; the word appeared very difficult to say. Alakalqua seemed then to only be in on everything.  
A while later whilst the others were laid rest Kurina nudged the elf, "What did they say?" she asked quietly. The elf's blue eyes met Kurina's, "I don't know" Her eyes said it was no lie; this baffled the young orc even more! How could she understand what she did not know? Alakalqua smiled seeing utter confusion pass over Kurina's face and growing frustration. Being merciful, she explained, "They were talking in words you are never meant to hear, in a language you will never know and about something you'd never understand" The elf said this so uniformly, as if she's heard and said the lines before for, Firefly chuckled.  
  
Getting increasingly vexed, Kurina went to sleep.  
  
"I have set up the guards my lord"  
  
The voice was feeble and pathetic, every syllable cowering with respect and fear.  
  
"Really! It's about time!"  
  
. . .  
  
"I---"  
  
"Never mind, all is done now. Do they suspect?"  
  
"Not that I---"  
  
"That means not a thing to me! Rumours are they do"  
  
"We heard no such thing"  
  
"We must keep our guard, the language of Mirth was used" 


End file.
